Thursday 26 February 2026 5:22 am  |  Updated:  Wednesday 25 February 2026 5:48 pm

It’s a sad story from brewery to pub

By: Christian May

Editor-in-Chief

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It was a balmy 17 degrees in the Square Mile yesterday, drawing crowds out for a lunchtime pint in the sun. But in other parts of the country the hospitality sector is still in the grip of winter.

Bad news came thick and fast from my native Cornwall yesterday, starting with confirmation that Sharp’s Brewery is to be shut by its US owners. The Wadebridge-based brewer behind Doom Bar and other cask ales was bought by Molson Coors in 2011 and celebrated 30 years of brewing in 2024. However, the owners announced yesterday that the site was no longer “financially sustainable.”

They say they’re committed to the Sharp’s brand and that “alternative production routes” are being explored, but as Tom Stainer, head of the Campaign for Real Ale, said in response, “Trying to produce iconic Cornish beers outside of the Duchy would be a disgrace.” We’ll just have to hope that Doom Bar made outside Cornwall is better than no Doom Bar at all. Up to 200 jobs could be lost as a result of the move which comes amid a torrid time for the pub and hospitality sector.

Pub closures are more immediately visible but three brewers shut every week in 2025, according to the industry trade association. And speaking of pub closures, four iconic Cornish boozers yesterday announced they were closing. The Pityme Inn, the Lugger in Polruan, Padstow’s London Inn and Port Isaac’s Golden Lion – all owned by St Austell Brewery but run by another company – have shut their doors after a particularly punishing winter.

Not all Labour’s fault, but they aren’t helping

Jason Black, who had been running the pubs, told staff “Together we navigated Covid, lockdowns, supply shortages, rising energy prices, increases in the minimum wage and the constant cost pressure facing hospitality,” but added that “winter trading has continued to impact cash flow and there is not enough capital left to continue safely and responsibly.” It’s a familiar story.

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The scale of pub closures in recent years shows it can’t all be blamed on this government, but this government’s policies often constitute the final straw. Furthermore, there is an indifference to the hospitality sector’s plight that many find hard to stomach.

The government’s entrepreneurship adviser, Alex Depledge, said this week “We don’t need any more restaurants…I’m not anti-hospitality, but that’s not where my efforts are.” Clearly.

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Brewdog: HSBC could seize brewery if no buyer found 

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